The Commander & The Mastermind
by NAO-chan33
Summary: Before entering Seido High School as a special sports trainer student assistant with Ai, I expected mundane boredom in the world of baseball with nothing to look forward to. How wrong I was to assume that... Instead, I found an unexpected kindred spirit in one of the players - the catcher who acted like a commander. (Miyuki Kazuya x OC) (FULL SUMMARY INSIDE) (Indefinite Hiatus.)
1. First Meeting

**FULL SUMMARY:**

 **On my journey to become the best Sports Trainer in Japan with my best friend and rival, Ai, who also aims for the same, I learn about the struggles and victories of the job from the very best people - the baseball players of Seidou High School.**

 **However, before entering the school as a special sports trainer student assistant with Ai, I expected mundane boredom in the world of baseball with nothing to look forward to. How wrong I was to assume that... Instead, I found an unexpected kindred spirit in one of the players - the catcher who acted like a commander.**

 **"Even though there is only so much I can take as the mastermind, somehow, with him, there is nothing that can stop us from attaining our goals..." - Nina**

 **(Miyuki Kazuya x OC)**

 **So this story... I really wasn't planning to start a new one, but I was just hit with motivation. This will be in a flash fiction/one-shot/drabble format, but with no particular rules, meaning that some chapters might be short or long. This also means that the time that passed by between each chapter can be short or long, and sometimes the chapters might not particularly be in chronological order; if that happens, I'll let you know beforehand on where it is in the timeline. I hope this makes sense...**

 **However, i** **f something is confusing** **you** **or you just want to say something about the story (such as what you want to see in future chapters or possible prompts that I could write about: ex. birthdays, etc.), then feel free to** **review about it** **.** **(NO FLAMES!)**

 **Note:** **T** **he main character** **'s** **name** **is** **Nina and her friend** **'s name** **is Ai.** **Also, this is a feel-good type of story, meaning that there won't be an excessive amount of drama, unless it's necessary for the story to progress.**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

"Hi. Do you know where the office is?" I walked up to the first person I saw.

"Office?" The first-year's shoulder was lax, watching me through his glasses.

"Yes. I need to see Kataoka-sensei." A little annoyed and a bit impatient, I crossed my arms, waiting.

"Sure. It's over there." He points at the end of the hallway with a grin.

Relieved, I thanked him quickly before running off without realizing that the boy was snickering to himself. When I reached the end of the hallway, I found the music room. A whirlwind of anger enraptured my mind as I turned around to glare at the boy, but he was nowhere to be found.

It was official. I was late.


	2. Trapped

**"Can I rely on you? If I can, then I will do everything in my power to make sure you succeed." - Nina**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

"Rei-san, will I really find this game interesting?" I muttered, still in a bad mood from earlier. She gave a small laugh, pushing me towards the field. I slipped on my glasses and crossed my arms. A familiar boy stood at the bullpen, making various calls to the pitcher. My fingers gripped the cage. "It's that... That infuriating..." I glared at the boy, shaking in a fit of anger.

"Nina-chan? What's wrong?" Rei patted my shoulder to get my attention.

"It's nothing." I managed to murmur out. The sound of the ball hitting the catcher's glove reverberated in the air. I shivered from the clear echoes. The flames of anger vanished as if it never existed from the start. "His play..." Rei's voice faded away when I watched him - the catcher as he handled the baseball with his hand. There was a loud thud in my chest. My surroundings immediately turned white with the other players becoming faint blurs in my eyes. My throat was dry as I focused completely on him - only him. As he made each call, the more I heard the loud thud pounding in my ear.

It was hard to breathe. I wanted to know more. With that declaration, it was official: my curiosity soared through the roof.

I have to know more.

And I must tell him...


	3. Heartbeat

**"Be loyal to me and I will protect you from any harm - be it emotionally, mentally, or physically - with my entire life." - Nina**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

The game was over.

Before the catcher left the field, I grabbed his arm sleeve. "Wait." He turned towards me with a look of surprise and slight recognition. Suddenly, my cheeks and ears burned with embarrassment. I looked down at the ground before gathering my courage.

"I really like your play! It was so exciting and I..." I grasped at my shirt over my heart. "It's been so long... So long since I felt like this... How many years has it been since someone's play moved me...?"

I locked eyes with him with a wide genuine smile. "I'm looking forward to your growth, so keep playing, Catcher-san. Of course, not for me, but for yourself. Because that would be the best way for me to continue watching you play in your best form." Surprise flickered in his eyes.

"You're strange." A soft smile momentarily appeared on his face before being replaced by a smirk.

"I know." I grinned.

He let out a snicker as I finally let go of his arm sleeve and put my arms behind my back.


	4. Game

**"Meeting someone who truly 'gets' you can be considered to be one of the million miracles of the world." - Nina**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

"What are you doing?" Miyuki threw his arm around my shoulder, leaning forward at my work.

"Recording everyone's progress." I sighed as I rubbed my eyes from fatigue.

He snickered to himself. "Your handwriting looks terrible."

"Ugh, I know. I can never make it look nice." I whined, dropping the pen on top of the table.

He kept quiet for a few seconds as I closed my eyes to rest. "Why don't we play a game then?"

I looked at him strangely. "What game?"

"A game to help you relax." His cheeky smile dawned over me hauntingly. I stood up from my seat.

"And what exactly is this game that you are referring to?" I took a step back and he took a step forward.

"Why... Isn't it obvious?" His hands were reaching out for me.

I took a dash to the other side of the room. "You're going to tickle me, aren't you?!"

He laughed. "Now, why would you think that?"

"Because that's what you did last time when you suggested to play a game with me!" Miyuki pushed the chair back in as he snickered.

"Then... Run?" He suggested. I began running towards the exit of the dining area, but he quickly blocked my path. Muttering colorful words under my breath, I bolted away from him. His long arms wrapped around me. "Caught you." His voice tickled my ear. I let out a breathless laugh.

I struggled in his grip, giggling a bit too much, as he pulled me towards him. "Noooo...! Please spare me!" My mind whirred like a confused machine.

"Then I win...?" I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Ye-yes!" I attempted to stop laughing, but because his hair tickled my skin, making me shiver in his arms, I burst into laughter again.


	5. His Room

**"Do not make me your enemy because the moment you do, I will make you regret it by making your life a living hell without ever letting you know that it was me who made it that way in the first place... Keep in mind that it will never trace back to me... Because I won't ever let it." - Nina**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

"So about the scores for this game..." I murmured softly to Miyuki as we sat on top of his bed and leaned against the wall comfortably. The loud noises from the other players occupied the room.

A wave of safe comfort filled my heart as I leaned towards him, looking at his long fingers point at each score and listening to his voice carefully explaining everything to me. "What's wrong, Nina?" My eyes immediately flickered to his in surprise. I felt embarrassed again.

"How do you..." I whispered to myself in wonder.

"I just do." His lips curled into a reassuring smile, lacking his usual arrogance or cheekiness.

I locked my eyes with his, getting lost in my thoughts. "You make me feel warm inside." I whispered out to him, matching his smile. "But besides that... I was just thinking about how I was glad to have met you." I watched in awe at how his eyes widened at my words before retaining its original shape.

"Well we are pretty amazing people." He joked with a grin.

"Yes, we are." I burst into a soft laughter, letting it drown in the loudness of the room. Once I settled down, I found him intensely staring at me. "Miyuki-kun...?"

"You really are an amazing person." Those words enraptured me in a daze.

"You are too..." I whispered to him breathlessly. "And that's why I chose you..."


	6. Confrontation

**"If I love you, I will know how you operate and I will also be able to remember everything about you from the major to the minor details. If I like you, I will probably be able to recall most of the major details about you. If I don't give a shit about you, then there is a high chance that I will never remember your name or your face and if I do, then it's a miracle." - Nina**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

"Stop ordering me around." One of the players, Randa, pushed me against the wall. His eyes fiercely burned with pure anger. "I'm not going to run that lap and you're not going to make me."

Something snapped in me. I felt my feelings drop into thin air. An emptiness echoed into my heart. There was only so much disrespect I can take from someone. My face structured itself into a stone-like coldness. I finally stared at the male with absolutely no tolerance for his stupidity. "Is that so...?"

My voice dropped down to a dangerous level, colored with a rigid harsh tone. "You won't do as I say...?" I took a deep breath, closing my eyes momentarily before opening them into a sharp intimidating glare. I stepped forward threateningly as the male continued to stand in his place.

I caustically asked. "Do you know why you didn't make it to the regular team?" Before he could say a single word, I continued. "It's because you never try hard enough. While everyone else is doing everything they can to get to the top, what have you been doing?" He opened his mouth to answer but I pushed him back with my hand to interrupt him. Every single thing that I wanted to smash down at him flowed into my head like a laughable insult, continuing to echo in my mind over and over again. It was time to put him in his place.

I gave a short and abrupt laugh before vocalizing with a patronizing tone. "Ah, yes. You were just laughing about as if you had the time and power in the world. You just watched others get into the regular team and then self-victimized yourself as if you did things to improve your own situation. How pathetic. You don't even deserve to complain or cry." My voice quivered as I gritted my teeth and grabbed his shirt with my hand, pulling him towards me and intimidating him with my furious glare.

"The least you can do is listen to what I have to say. And if you don't want to, then be like everyone else and do everything you can to make it to the top. And stop fucking complaining like a bratty child when you have no right to do so." I pushed him away again.

Feeling better, I took a small breath and smiled coldly at him. "Understand...?" The area was quiet around us. His anger was soon replaced by shame, fear, and embarrassment. He nodded timidly. "Then go run that lap." Without a response, he took off to the field, ignoring the audience that saw the whole incident.

"Anyone else have something to say to me?" My face returned to its uncaring expression. "If not, then go back to training." Everyone dispersed, leaving Miyuki in front of me. I momentarily wondered if he thought of me as a man-girl or anything remotely similar to that. Was he going to disappoint me too?

"It was about time that you put him in his place. I was eagerly waiting for it too." He murmured in approval, patting my head before giving me a proud grin. "...So good job!"

A sense of deep relief settled in my heart. "How odd..." I whispered softly under my breath. He really did make me feel so warm inside.

"I'm gonna go train now, so I'll see you later, Nina." Miyuki ruffled my hair playfully as I glared at him for doing that, attempting to fix my hair.

"Okay..." I watched him run off to the bullpen with a huge mischievous smile plastered on his face. "He's so strange..."

I finally laughed to myself in disbelief, relaxing after what had happened. A genuine affectionate smile unknowingly graced my lips for the rest of the day.


	7. Habits

**"You can easily tell if I care about you or not. If I'm always boasting to other people about your accomplishments before mine, then it means that I am proud of you as the person who has my respect, my love, and my endless loyalty." - Nina**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

Typing relentlessly into my laptop, I sighed as I grabbed the next pile of papers. "How many more..." I shook my head before continuing. It was then when I smelled a whiff of calming lavender. Soon, I felt the presence of someone sitting in front of me, placing the cup where it was easily accessible to me. When I lifted my head, I smiled. "Miyuki-kun..."

"You always drink tea at this time." He commented while handing me the cup.

I groaned with happiness as I sipped the hot liquid. All of my frustrations and stress began to fade away. "You're seriously the best, Miyuki-kun. What would I do without you?"

"Live?" He shrugged, smirking.

I laughed at his suggestion. "Very true..." After taking another sip, I glanced at him as a look of satisfaction appeared on his face. "I feel like I can always rely on you. So thank you for this." I rubbed my eye to ignore the exhaustion.

Miyuki stared at the pile of papers. "Are you almost done?"

"No... I think I'm finally halfway done." I focused on drinking the tea again. "Time to finish this!" I stretched my arms before relentlessly typing into my laptop. After a few minutes, I looked back up, expecting him to be gone, but he was still sitting in front of me, watching me with a relaxed posture. "Shouldn't you go to sleep soon?"

"I'll sleep when I need to, but right now, I don't need to." He murmured, never moving his gaze.

"Then you don't need to stay here with me. I'm fine with being alone." I paused for a second. "After all, wouldn't it be boring for you to just sit there and do nothing?"

"No. For me, this is relaxing. I don't need anything else right now and it's not boring, so don't worry and go back to work." Miyuki quickly messed up my hair before sitting back down again.

"Okay... I hope this doesn't become a habit for you." I murmured quietly.

"It's okay if it becomes a habit. For me, it's a welcoming one." He answered.

I gave him a small smile. "If you say so." As I continued to do my work, it was almost as if he was never there to begin with. Because of that, I was able to finish without losing a single ounce of my concentration.

It was at this point in time that I somehow knew that if it does end up becoming a habit for him, I would also welcome it with open arms. So when I placed the last paper down, I closed my laptop, revealing Miyuki in front of me. I then locked eyes with him before mouthing, "You win."

"That's what I thought." He grinned victoriously.


	8. New Pitcher

**"I do not believe in love at first sight. I do, however, believe in attraction in the first conversation." - Nina**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

"Who is that, Rei-san?" I stood next to her, staring at the middle-school boy who held the ball in his hand. Miyuki took his position as catcher, beginning to test his skills.

"His name is Sawamura Eijun. I scouted him as a pitcher. He has quite an interesting throw." I kept quiet, slipping on my glasses to get a closer look. When the sound of the ball landed in Miyuki's mitt, I shivered from the clearness of the reverberation. That was when I realized it - the strange movement of the ball.

"That is very interesting." I murmured, already wishing to sharpen and perfect the raw energy and talent of this young man. "I want him."

"You better not say that in front of Miyuki-kun." Rei sighed at my words.

"Eh...? What does Miyuki-kun have to do with what I want?" I stared at her in utter confusion. She sighed once more, shaking her head as if it was hopeless. Ignoring that, I continued. "I want to shape his talent. Make it into the perfect form of art. I might not enjoy the pitcher position as much as the catcher's, but together, they can transform into a formidable art." Excitement about all of the possibilities for the future drilled into my mind. "Just imagine, Rei-san... Two unpredictable and intoxicating strengths become one... Into the ultimate unbeatable power..."

"I knew you would like Sawamura-kun." She smiled knowingly. Once it was over, Miyuki came up to us with Sawamura.

"Nice game." I said, giving Miyuki a high-five. I turned towards Sawamura. "I look forward to your attendance this upcoming school year." The young male was in a daze, nodding at my words without comprehending them.

After I watched Rei and Sawamura walk away at the entrance, I felt Miyuki wrap his arm around my shoulders. "So..." He whispered in a serious tone. "You look forward to his attendance...?"

"Of course." Without blinking, I replied excitedly. "After all, you two would make an interesting and powerful battery." Before Miyuki could speak, I continued, grabbing his arm while grinning. "And then I'll be able to watch more of your plays! Plus, variety is the spice of life! So just imagine how much fun you would have with that kind of pitcher! I'm really looking forward to this upcoming season...!" Suddenly, I felt my ears burn red from embarrassment at my outburst. "A-anyways, you get my point..."

"Hmm..." He smiled stiffly at me. "So you didn't choose him..." He awkwardly muttered to himself.

"Of course I didn't choose him." I looked at him incredulously. "I chose you, so why would I need to choose someone else?" I cupped his cheeks with my hands, forcing him to lock eyes with me. "Since I chose you, I will continue to choose only you... In the near future... And in the far future... Do you doubt me?"

His usual confident smirk appeared on his face once more. "No, I don't doubt you." He then grabbed my hands with his.

"Then that is all there is to it." I grinned and then I snickered. "Man, I really can't wait for this upcoming season."

His eyes flickered playfully. "Oh?"

I whispered in his ear. "When you guys beat the other schools, I get to watch them go down. It's going to be so satisfying to watch." I smirked to myself, imagining it.

A very smug and cheeky smile graced his lips as he sniggered with me. "That _would_ be very entertaining to watch."

"But I'm quite envious of you." I sighed to myself with a pout. "Because you get to see it up-close, while I have no choice but to wait until the very end of the game to fully enjoy it."

He pulled me closer with his arm around my waist, whispering in my ear. "In that case, I'll be sure to celebrate it with you after the game."

My eyes brightened up considerably. "Of course, I would expect nothing less from you-" Suddenly, I laughed out loud uncontrollably. "Miyuki-kun! Stop tickling me!" I tried to get out of his grip, but it made me giggle some more. "I give-I give up!" Hoping that I could stop him from tickling me further, I finally held his hands in lock, lacing my fingers with his.

"I thought you were giving up...?" He snickered as we struggled to regain power over the other.

I paused for a second. "You're right. I did say that." I was about to let go of his hands when he kept them in place. His eyes flickered with an intensity that differed from when he wore glasses. I could hear the loud chattering from the other players at the field. "I think break is over." I murmured to him, feeling my cheeks burn from the heat of the sun.

"Is that so...?" He did not make a move to leave.

"Is there something on my face?" I asked, wondering what he was looking for intently on my face.

He grinned. "Nothing. Just getting some energy from you." He finally let go of my hands, making me conscious of the lack of heat that I had felt from his hands earlier. He then gently held a lock of my hair before letting it fall from his hand. "See you back at the field."

As he walked away, I held my cheeks, trying to calm myself down. "Why does it feel so hot?"


	9. Femininity

**"I don't like receiving presents, but if you ever need to give me one, then there is only one gift to give - your time. By spending time with me, the memories that we make together will remain vivid and bright - safely stored inside of my mind palace." - Nina**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

"Augh, she's a spartan!" One of the players wheezed as he glared at me from afar.

"Seriously. She's definitely not a girl." Bitterness tainted the tone of their voices. "The devil... I prefer Ai-chan! She's much better than that man-girl!" They grunted, running some laps as punishment. "I mean where is her femininity?"

A player laughed under his breath. "None. Non-existent."

"Oh...?" Someone joined in on their laps. "Why do you think that?"

"Well, I mean she doesn't have an ounce of emotions." Immense annoyance colored his voice. "She's too cold - like a robot. I bet she hates us all."

"Seriously..." One of them agreed. "I mean I rooted for her when she put Randa in his place, but still, does she have to punish us because of a small mistake...?!"

"Hmm... Is that what you really think? Or are you just trying to blame her for your thoughtlessness and incompetence?" The newcomer coldly remarked.

"What did you say?!" The males faced him in anger before losing their energy in seconds. "Mi-Miyuki..."

"Yo! I thought your conversation sounded interesting, so I decided to join in!" He grinned cheekily, putting his arms around the guys.

"Mi-Miyuki... Please don't tell Nina about what we said." They pleaded in hopes that he would spare them.

"Hm... Should I? But that would be so boring!" He chuckled.

"We'll do anything!" They gulped, scared of what he would do next.

"Anything...?" His eyes lit up with excitement. Dread flooded over the group. "Then from now on, treat Nina like a queen."

"But she doesn't even act like a normal girl! Not to mention, she's not even feminine!" One of them complained out loud. The rest of the members smacked him on the head, calling him an idiot.

"Not feminine...? I suppose it can't be helped that your eyes are degrading in quality. But then again, she's only feminine to those who deserve to see it." He patted the shoulder of the 'idiot' as if pitying him.

He turned his heel to walk away but turned his head towards them momentarily with a confident smirk. "No matter what anyone says, she's definitely a girl." They all looked at him as if he was crazy, but he ignored them and began walking again.

That was when he spotted me jumping around and laughing excitedly with Ai-chan from the corner of his eye. "A very _energetic_ feminine girl..." He whispered to himself with an amused expression.


	10. Anger

**So chapters 10-12 will be a bit dark and dramatic, especially chapter 12, so I will make sure to put up a warning for that chapter in particular. The future chapters, on the other hand, are most likely going to be pretty lighthearted.**

 **"I value freedom over my life." - Nina**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

"I'm going to take this call, so go on ahead, Ai-chan." I glanced at the phone screen, recognizing the name with sudden dread. I only hoped it would be a call about good news. Ai-chan nodded as she walked on ahead. I tapped on the screen, accepting the call. "Hello...?"

" _You finally picked up the phone, you insolent girl!_ " The rough irritating voice answered. It was a voice that was not the caller. _That man_ used the caller's phone to contact me. I stood very still - paralyzed by apprehension. " _Ignoring my calls now, eh? Trying to be smart about it?! Well now you can't ignore me! Get back here immediately, you stupid girl! I will not accept your decision to become one of those stupid sports trainers! I did not send you to school for you to betray me like this! You are to come back here and let yourself be groomed into becoming the perfect heiress for my company!_ "

"They..." I seethed through my teeth. "They are _not_ stupid. And I will _never_ go back and become the stupid girl that you expect me to be! So.. Leave. Me. Alone." I ended the call, taking out the battery of the phone and placing it in my pocket. I took a few deep breaths and rubbed my eyes before walking back to the field and joining Ai-chan.


	11. Arrival of the Monster

**"I don't care if you insult me as long as you don't insult those I respect and care for." - Nina**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

"Nina-chan, some people from your family are here to see you." Rei walked up to me. My heart froze.

"What...?" I whispered out, hoping that I heard her wrong.

"They are up in the office, so go see them after you're done with what you're currently doing." Not noticing my anxiety, she pat my shoulder before walking to the coach's location. My hands trembled a little as I stared at the clipboard I was holding with no purpose. My throat became dry.

"Oi, are we done?" Kuramochi called out to me. I looked at him with a blank confused expression. His eyes narrowed a little in concern. "I asked if we were done."

"Oh..." I blinked. "Yes. We're done for today. Thanks." My voice shook, stained with uncertainty. I did not make a move to leave.

"..." Kuramochi stood in front of me. "Hey, are you okay...?"

"Of course... Of course, I'm fine." I closed the clipboard, getting a hold of myself. "I apologize for making you worry."

"Ah, no, it's fine-"

"Can you tell Ai-chan that I won't be joining you guys for dinner?" My mind raced for ways to escape from everything, but it turned out empty.

"Um, sure." He shrugged before walking towards Miyuki and Ai-chan. I took no note of the clipboard that slipped from my hand as I walked slowly to the office. When I stood in front of the door, I suddenly could not breathe very well. I wished that I had drank some water beforehand.

"Might as well get it over with." I murmured to myself, turning the knob and pushing the door forward to face the monster of my life.


	12. Hurt

**WARNING: Do not read if you are sensitive to or get triggered by content with abuse. (Read just the end if you are going to skip.)**

 **"I only give respect to the people who listen to my words, even if they do not agree with me." - Nina**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

I coughed, cupping my bruised cheek. "You _will_ do as I say!" The old man grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled me towards him with a tight grip on my upper arm. I winced and struggled to peel his fingers off of my hair and my arm.

" _Let go!_ " Managing to push him away, I yelped as I slammed against the floor harshly. "Augh..." I crawled towards the door frantically, but he threw me against one of the desks instead. I breathed heavily, wondering where his strength was coming from.

"Now... Are you going to listen to me?! Or are you going to do this ridiculous rebellious act again?!" He wheezed, glaring at me. " _You need to understand that this is for your own good._ _Remember, I'm only thinking of your future!_ "

Those words flipped a switch in me - a switch of hatred, frustration, and anger. "For my own good...? Of my future...?" I laughed cynically to myself as frustrated tears slid down my cheeks. "What the hell are you going on about?! As if you ever thought about my future! You only care about yourself! Your reputation! Thinking only about _your_ future!" I screamed, hoping his plugged ears would be able to hear one word - just one word.

"Why are you screaming?! You have no right to scream at me!" He growled. "You're an embarrassment to me! What if the people outside hear you?!"

"Then let them hear me!" I yelled back. My head pounded, slowly becoming dizzy.

"You insolent girl! You should have died back then!" He threw his briefcase at my face. Blood began to drip from my nose.

"Then should I kill myself in front of you? Would that make you happy?! I'll even do it right now if you want me to! Do you doubt my words?!" I wiped the blood off of my nose. It felt like something grabbed at my heart and was causing me to suffocate. "If I do that, will you finally listen to my words? Will you?!"

Ignoring everything I said, he grabbed my wrist again and attempted to drag me. "You ridiculous girl, you will be coming with me!"

"Listen to me! Listen to my words! Why won't you listen?! Why can't you hear me?! Why, why, whywhywhywhywhy...Why?!" My throat remained dry as my voice finally cracked. I coughed. Hot tears sprouted from my eyes. Suddenly, I was so tired - so very tired. "Why...?" Everything ached and my emotions shut down completely, leaving only the darkest thoughts to remain in the spotlight. "Leave me alone." I whispered. I quickly wiped the tears off of my face, glaring at the old man. "Let me go."

"What did you say?!" He sharply turned towards me.

"I said... Let. Me. Go." I pulled his hand off of my wrist by force and threw it to him. As his hand came down at me for a harsh slap, I heard the door swing open as I shut my eyes, waiting for the inevitable pain. When I felt nothing, I hesitantly opened my eyes and with horror, I saw Miyuki grabbing that man's wrist.

"What do you think you're doing at a school..." His voice darkened, underlined with boiling anger.

"Nina-chan! Are you okay?!" Rei came up to me, examining my injuries. I breathed heavily, unsure as to what was going on around me.

"Let go of me, boy. You have no right to intervene between us!" Despite his struggles, he could not pull his arm out of Miyuki's tight grip. Suddenly exhausted again, I silently walked up to them and gently grabbed his hand.

"It's okay, Miyuki... You can let go now." I locked eyes with him, waiting. He slowly released his grip and then quickly pulled me behind him.

"What a monster! This is exactly why I was against you becoming a sports trainer!" He huffed in exasperation.

At those words, my eyes narrowed as I stepped in front of Miyuki protectively. "How _dare_ you...!? Miyuki-kun is _not_ a monster. He is someone I respect and I will _never_ forgive you if you insult him! And if anything, the monsters in this room would just be you and me, so don't you _dare_ try to bring anyone else into this!" I growled. Adrenaline rushed into my head, preparing me to stop this man at all costs from attacking the people in this room.

"Your brother would be sorely disappointed in you." He commented.

"No, my brother is sorely disappointed in you and not me." I gritted my teeth. "So don't act like you know him when you know nothing of him..!"

"Hmph." He picked up his briefcase, wiping off my blood with disgust. "We will continue this later." He pushed Rei to the side and walked out of the room.

I shakily walked to the couch and sat down, laying my head against the cushion. I was so drained of my energy to the point that I could not respond to Rei's questions. Tears continued to flow out of my eyes without my permission, but I could not stop. Miyuki stopped Rei and asked her to wait outside. When she reluctantly relented, he sat next to me, gently lifting my head to face him. I watched him without care. "We'll fix this... I won't let him hurt you like this again." He wiped a tear off of my cheek. "So you don't have to cry anymore." His words brought a sense of relief and safety into the depths of my heart. I nodded to him before wiping my tears away, shakily smiling at him.

"Miyuki-kun..." My voice cracked from the dryness of my throat. "Can I hug you?"

He was momentarily stunned at my request, but he kept his cool and nodded. I comfortably hugged him, leaning my cheek against the crane of his neck. When I closed my eyes, I took a deep breath, releasing the tension in me. It was at this very moment that I somehow remembered about how he was usually an awkward person when it came to emotions, which then made me grateful that he let me do this. "Thank you..." I whispered to him quietly.

He did not say anything, but I knew he heard me when his fingers began to gently caress the locks of my hair. "Let's get your injuries fixed up before Rei-chan gets mad."

I kept quiet before opening my eyes and nodding. "Sounds good."

"And then you can watch my catching skills that you love so much." He teased as I smiled with amusement.

"I think I would like that... A lot..." I winced in pain when I smiled a bit too much.


	13. Awkward

**"I wish people can see just how much I really do care about them." - Nina**

 **The next one is more heartwarming and will probably be lighthearted again. :)**

 **NOTE: Ai-chan's last name is Aburu. So her full name is Aburu Ai.**

 **I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

 **Peace out~~!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own** **Diamond no Ace.**

* * *

I stood awkwardly in the dark near the entrance. The door was open as if welcoming anyone but me. The whispers of some of the members became louder. "I swear... Nina's probably looking down on us like her grandpa!"

"You mean that rude old fart who called us insolent monsters was her grandpa?"

"Why the hell is she even here? No one even likes her! Ai-chan is all we need!"

"You're right! I bet she's the same as her grandpa!" My fists tightened but I could not move. My heart squeezed painfully, not wanting to believe that I was being seen as the same as that monster. That monster... If I'm the same, then I guess I'm also a monster. To survive that man, I ended up forcing myself to become the same type as him. How pathetic of me.

"Nina...?" I knew who it was but I could not bear to look at him in the eye. I felt as if my eyes were welling up with tears and if my eyes met his, the tears would fall without my permission. I already cried in front of him before; there was no need to show that to him again. "What's wrong?"

"We should let everyone else know about her true nature. Just like her grandpa, she's looking down on us!"

From the corner of my eyes, I saw his fingers curl into a fist. "Miyuki-kun...?" My voice subtly cracked as I noted a faint shaking of anger in his features. Before he even made his first step towards the room, I grabbed his hand. "Miyuki-kun, don't." I tried to control myself, but the hurt that I felt seeped into the tone of my voice.

"I know that you can handle it yourself, but it will be much faster if I deal with it now while you prove them wrong later." His own voice turned calm and almost sounded mechanical. "I'm doing this in the best interest of the team. If they cannot even accept that you are just as good as Aburu, I will force them to understand in order to better this team as a whole." He turned towards me, lifting my chin to look him in the eye. While I no longer felt hurt, as expected, the tears that had already gathered at the corner of my eyes finally slid down my cheeks when my eyes met his. "Nina, I can create an opening for you - a chance that can help you repair your relationship with the members, but the rest of the work depends on your own effort. So seize this opportunity and succeed. Let me be the one to watch the results on the field - made by your own abilities."

A strong fire blazed in my previously empty heart as I listened to his words. I swiftly grabbed the hand that lifted my chin. "Watch me then, Miyuki Kazuya. Watch me closely - because I will be the one to help lead you all to Koushien by the time we graduate from this school."

He smirked before releasing his hand from mine. "I look forward to it." I then watched him enter the room before turning my heel to walk away with newly found determination. I barely even noticed that the voices that were stained with horror blurred with the sound of the wind behind me.


End file.
